The Hanoi Summit – We Asked Joon-hyung Kim What Happens Next in U.S.-North Korea Relations

Joon-hyung Kim

Security, Asia

"If dialogue is not resumed soon, the deadlock could last a long time. In this situation, the mediating role of the Moon government is heightened, but not at all easy."

In Hanoi, U.S. president Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un diverged in their attitudes toward the meeting. While Kim was desperate enough to say “even one minute is precious,” Trump repeatedly said “no rush.” Obviously, Trump took advantage of Kim’s urgency, and the expected deal was not made. Hence, no longer can we say that there are no failed summit meetings in the diplomatic world or that brinkmanship is Pyongyang’s signature tactic. Since what the United States and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) want from each other has been clarified now, there may be another chance to close the gaps between the two countries. The unbroken formula of freeze for freeze can be good for future negotiations.

However, the damage to the trust and relationship promised with enthusiasm in Singapore seems so serious that recommencing the talks may not be so easy. This is especially true for Kim, because his sixty-six-hour-long journey to Hanoi was to reconfirm his trust in Trump. Therefore, Kim’s disappointment after the meeting could be synonymous to Julius Caesar’s “Et tu, Brute?” This new approach of a “trust game” that the two leaders have set up in Singapore is definitely in trouble. Even if it is not a complete breakdown, Hanoi is a setback or reset of the negotiations back to the pre-Singapore summit period.